The Peacebringer
by RavenShadowIV
Summary: Some unicorns have chosen to remain in the hills, and this is where our tale begins, when the peace is withering and a prophesized Peacebringer is finally born. R&R! Ch. 2 Up!
1. Prelude

_**Prelude**_

_Hail, unicorns of the plain, who have been so kind to ask of me to sing more tales of the vale and of the unicorns that dwelled in it. There is the tale you have already known, the great lay of the Firebringer- Aljan, Dark Moon. But to repeat it again will doubtless bore you, so now I tell you of what happened after the Hallow hills were won, for the lay of unicorns does not end there. Though much has also happened in the hills, I shall sing to thee of what is closer to you free people of the plain. _

_When the great Aljan-with-the-moon-upon-his-brow led the Valedwelling unicorns to the Hallow hills, and the wyverns were swept from the land, some unicorns chose to remain behind in the Vale they had come to, over four hundred year, learn as their home. When these unicorns told Jan of this when they arrived at the hills, the dark unicorn complied, though he insisted to keep close touch with this sister-herd of the vale. _

_So it was thus that a quarter of the herd at the hills made their journey back to the vale, and lived as they once had lived. Their king was Argos, his mate and queen Lea, but those times are long past ere this tale begins. The Firebringer and his pied mate had long departed to eternity, and even their progeny, Dhattar and Aiony, were with them. Lell had, too, parted to join the great mother-of-all, and Illishar of the broken wing had joined her to finally unite with her within Alma in the way that they could have never done before. Those times were gone, and they were sung of like legends, but then, the peace was wearing out._

_Without the wisdom of the magicker, Jah-lila, without the diplomatic skill of Jan, the relationships were withering- infact, gone. The Valedwellers did not even remember any time in their life when there was peace. The gryphons, once keen to ally with them, now seemed to just ignore them completely, and the pans were becoming aggressive. All that Jan had once worked for in the vale was gone. The wingcats did not bother the unicorns much, at least, for their sacred flocks of goat and deer had begun to move and dwell nearer to their mountains. It was almost a warp back in time to before the peace was about, except that the unicorns had changed. But then, at that time, like of the Firebringer, they had their own prophecy to be told._

_Calydor, sire to Aljan-with-the-moon-upon-his-brow, whom many call Alm'harat's eyes, gave a prophecy days before he left to join the great mother. He left a verse with the Valedwellers, and ere our tale it was gossip, a whisper passed from ear to ear._

_As though the past doth come alive_

_Firebrand's work of peace be gone._

_Plainsdwellers renegades, pans are feared_

_Gryphons still hunt and charm with song._

_Come Peacebringer, led by Alma's will_

_Her eyes watch his birth from afar._

_Gray be dappled on his coat,_

_A gleaming star his chest bescars_

_War shall storm across this land,_

_But who shall stop it from spreading more?  
Peacebringer! Peacebringer! So we call,_

_As the battle comes like rising storm._

_He will' live to see the battle sway,_

_He will live to see war cast away_

_Peacebringer! Peacebringer! So they cry,_

_But who is to trust, and who is the lie?_

_A hundred winters they waited for the peacebringer's birth, and at last, he was born to them. They called him Jaros after his great grandsire, and he was battleprince of the unicorns. King Argos and Queen Aida showered their prophesized son with praise- Jaros, pride of all the colts, best of the generations' progeny. Their other colts and fillies gradually drifted into non-existence in their mind, and even the other unicorns in the herd told them of it, they would not admit it. It was as though Jaros were their only son, and alas he grew to be a spoilt colt._

_Jaros was near half-grown, and this is where my tale begins, on the fringe of the plain and the Pan woods, where a mare scout was sent to check for signs of goatlings. _


	2. Orphan

_**Orphan**_

The sun stallion was just galloping into the netherpath, ever chasing the moon, and the rosy light shone upon the land, although it did not make much difference to one gold-pelted mare. The eerie overshadowing trees of the Pan Woods made her think of nothing else but the danger of being here... she sighed warily and leaned against the tree. The mare had plodded non-stop through the wood from the vale since noon, and she was utterly exhausted. She tossed a forelock out of her eye, and recounted what she had done today.

Now the unicorns of the vale had some different customs during the day of the full moon, though they still do the moondance, the dance was now any way they liked it to be, for regular gatherings and nothing else, something to bring the herd together, and every morn they sent out a few unicorn scouts- some of the finest warriors waiting to prove their worth. One would explore to the plain, another the wood and the last to the Wingcat mountains, to check on their foes for any particular activity. It was not rare that the scout would not return, and this journey was almost a sort of a rite- any unicorn that returned was treated with high respect. The mare had barely any idea why she had been chosen to go- she was an average warrior, not one that excelled in anything in particular. She sighed- she would have to turn back soon. She trotted nearer the edge of the wood, gazing at the plains, her tufted ears twitching for the slightest sound.

The mare made her way back toward the vale, trotting just on the brink between plain and wood, when a strong-looking earth-red stallion suddenly appeared by her shoulder. Alarmed, she turned and readied herself for a fight, charging her horn at the other, but the stallion dodged. She tried several times until she realized who it was.

"Rak!" she cried, embarrassed, lowering her horn. "Sorry about that, I thought you were a renegade-"

"_Hist!_" Rak whispered. "Quiet, Ari. I just escaped unnoticed from a renegade just over. We best make for the vale, we must be back before the moon riseth full. "

"In time for moondance?" the mare said, smiling. Now, the unicorns danced every moon, any dance they liked or could think of.

The stallion smiled, nodding. "Aye, Ari. Come now, let us go... hast anything special happened on thy scouting trek?"

They began moving off, and Ari shook her head. "Naught, my shoulder-friend, but startling a bird out of a tree. I caught a glimpse of a goatling moving through the wood."

Rak, ever the vigilant one, twitched his tasseled tail, his ears perking in alarm. "What way?"

"Toward the plain," the mare replied. "Naught to worry; if the goatlings have their battles against the renegades, tis' not for us Valedwellers to worry about."

Rak was about to make a reply when he suddenly stopped, stood stock still and stared around, and then hissed, "Hist! A pard lies crouched to spring."

"Where?" Ari whispered, straining her neck, and she caught a glimpse of the pard, lying crouched. "It looks not at us, shoulder-friend... it stalks another quarry."

"Aye, but it's prey is likely to flee here..."

"Wait- a colt! A mere colt!" the mare said, surprised, for lying not far from the pard was a young colt- dazed, probably not more than a weanling, his horn still a stub upon his brow. The young dappled gray unicorn eyed the pard warily. "He sees the pard; why does he not flee?"

"A renegade colt tis' none of our concern, Ari. His sire and dam may care for him."

"But they are not there," the golden mare said, straining her eyes further, "and I see blood on its lips. Renegade or not, Rak, we shall not leave a colt to die- do you not boast of killing three pards? Well, this is one. Fly at it!"

The stallion snorted and stomped one cloven hoof angrily. "Nonsense, Ari. Let us go."

Ari could not leave the little colt to die at the jaws of a pard that well-likely had killed the little one's parents. "Are you afraid?" she teased. "I shall guide the colt away, and you shall attack the pard; tis' simple.

The golden mare did not wait for a reply, but sprang off toward the col. Rak snorted angrily, but he was left no choice but to follow, and so he did. As they neared the pard, Rak realized that Ari was playing no joke, and he snorted again, tossing his mane and whinnying loudly- loud enough to catch the pard's attention.

The cat's concentration was broken and he rose from his crouch, glancing in both directions, wandering which one to take- the young defenseless colt would be an easy kill, but the stronger stallion bore much meat. The mare was hidden to the pard, and she kept herself as low as she could, moving step by step toward the colt. The pard made it's way toward the younger unicorn, but Rak, frustrated, flew at it, neighing.

The pard's feline dorm twisted and caught the stallion's onslaught, but Rak was just as fleet of limb and dodged away, thrusting with his horn. After a short scuffle, the unicorn's horn scratched the cat's flank, and it cried out in somewhat exaggerated pain and sprang away into the thick grass. Rak raised his head, breathing deeply, and he eyed the mare carefully guiding the weak colt away- it was at a safe-enough distance now. The mare turned toward him, suddenly alarmed. "Shy, Rak!" she cried.

The stallion twisted away too late; the cat sprang from behind him, snarling, and it's claws dug into the stallions flank. He bucked and cried out in pain and agitation. Devastated at seeing her shoulder-friend this way, Ari left the colt and charged, thrusting her horn at the pard. It snarled and sprang off the stallion's back and padded off, hissing.

"Rak- can you walk?" the mare asked, concerned, as the Stallion stumbled, a deep gash on his left flank bleeding.

"It's nothing Kajo the healer cannot heal," the stallion replied, adjusting his legs, gasping for breath, and then asked, "The colt- where is the colt?"

The mare's eyes widened, galloped off and soon returned with the little child at her side. Rak was clearly relieved at seeing the foal alive and well, but he snorted contemptuously. "So, we saved the colt. Now what? We cannot leave it out to die, that is for certain, but... he was found on the plain. Obviously a renegade; the herd will not accept him."

The mare didn't know why, but she felt protective of the little orphan. She tossed her mane, agitated. "We must try, for this youngling's sake. By the mare's back, Rak, he Is barely more than a weanling, too little to know anything about his sire or dam. His coat, a dappled gray, like that of battleprince Jaros... he can never think of me as a mother; he will be the prince's fosterling- you know how the king and queen never allow any colts and foals, even from the hills, unless it is into their own keeping- but I shall not let Argos and Lea mistreat this colt like their other children. I shall care for him..."

"Argos? Lea? Take in the child?" Rak laughed. "Ari, my shoulder-friend, what makes you think they shall take him in?"

She paused for a moment. "I have some favors to pull in. My dreams and visions come as they will, perhaps Lea would be willing to, once more..."

"Once more?" Rak repeated, curiously. "You mean Queen Lea hast asked ye for your dreams before?"

The mare shrugged her shoulders. "Yes, like Kajo, but she refused to hear anything other than what she wanted to hear... I could never tell her what I truly saw. All she wants is for me to tell her more of the Peacebringer, more of the verse to confirm that her son was the one." Ari sighed. "If he truly is the Peacebringer of prophecy, he had better learn to be humble... I can barely stand him, battleprince or not!"

"_Hist!" _Rak hissed, glancing about. "Tis' foul treason to speak of the prince's line that way; Argos would have thy head- alas, tis not like before, now he is consumed with himself- and of course, his son..."

"Who would be out here to listen to us?" Ari snorted. "I speak naught but the truth."

"That I cannot deny," Rak replied, "But you know as well as I that Argos and Lea have eyes and ears everywhere..."

"Kajo will take care of that; soon, I hope..."

"Shush, Ari," Rak said, more urgently, and the colt suddenly came up by his side, leaning against him, as though comforted. His eyes softened for a moment, but then he snorted and jerked away. "I don't like this," the stallion said. "Come... we must go back to the vale."

Kajo the healer was a skilled stallion, earthen red was his pelt and black was his mane. It was awhile before the moon would rise full and it was time for moondance, and the healer and some other unicorns were talking quietly in a cave. The cave was useful for their purpose, as they wanted no one to know about- after a while into the entrance it took a sharp turn left, downward, and sloped into a large chamber where they were now. A fire burned there, and if any unicorn entered the shadow would be seen in time.

"The herd can no longer stand it," the healer whispered quietly. "Lea and Argos are neglecting the herd. Peacebringer or not, Jaros is doing the herd nothing but harm."

"But he is the Peacebringer," a roan mare pressed, staring anxiously into the flickering flame. "Are we not moving against Alma's will?"

"Nonsense, Jaora," a stallion beside her snorted, his own pelt a deep shade of indigo, by name of Kati. He stomped one cloven hoof to the ground, rising a small cloud of dust. "How would the great mother will our saviour to be some spoilt wreck?"

Another stallion, a deep yellow, remained silent and stood in the corner, listening to all, but then he spoke. "You are a dreamer, Kajo. What say you?"

Kajo glanced at Kati for a moment. "The dreams come when they will," the healer muttered. "Our resistance must begin soon. I sense something dreadfully wrong in Jaros, like he is not meant for the prophecy; but he must, for what other colt fits the verse? I have dreamed, too, that he lives now... it must be the battleprince."

"I see," the yellow stallion Jihad replied. He paused for a moment, gazing into the flame. "I must be off- my mate awaits, and suspicion might grow... you may not care for it much, but I do." Without another word, he trotted out of the cave.

Two shadows appeared, cast on the wall, and in alarm Kati lay down and Jaora stood, looking as concerned as she could, by his side, and Kati made a great show of things. "The pains have been carrying on for a few days in my shoulder, Kajo, can you do nothing?"

They saw who it was that had trotted into the cave, and the alarm subsided. Ari and Rak stood there, the colt between them. Kajo's eyes widened and he rushed up to the youngling. "A colt- you must have quite something to tell. Do tell us, both of you, now scouts of the vale!"

The two scouts relayed their tale. Kati nodded gravely, Jaora seemed to be quite taken with the colt, and Kajo was in deep thought.

"Yes, Lea will accept the colt, I will see to that. But she will not care much else for it; she shall not even give him a name. That we must do."

Ari paused. "The Peacebringer is here, the peace is coming soon- this colt shall dwell happily within this time. His name shall be..." she paused. "I trust you all, and hence he shall be called Ilkanta."

"_Ilkanta,"_ the healer echoed, "The calm after the storm. Well said- alas! The moondance tis about to begin, our absence shall arouse much suspicion... let us join the dance."

Outside, the colts and fillies, stallions and mares had gathered, and Queen Lea, King Argos and of course their son, Jaros, stood before them. The queen had just asked for any suggestions for this moon's dance, and plenty of excited suggestions came from the foals. Jaros stood there, with a smug look on his face. He need not worry about such lowly things, it was always his choice that got picked, after all.

Suddenly one suggestion, louder than the rest, broke out from the herd, from an unknown foal that no unicorn could detect. "The Longdance!"

There was a stunned silence. The renegades dance would never be danced on the vale. King Argos' face twitched for a moment, then he turned kindly to his son, nudging him gently on the neck. "Come, battleprince, what say you?"

Jaros thought for a moment, then his eyes sparkled and he neighed excitedly. "I feel generous, tis' time to share our royal blood. The Serpent's dance!"

There was much cheering, as the serpent's dance was much enjoyed, and was danced in celebration of the Firebringer. Argos nodded, but then, he spoke.

"So it shall be- the Serpent's dance of Aljan-with-the-moon-upon-his-brow! But..." his eyes flashed. "There are traitors in our ranks; and I shall not scratch our blood with theirs!"

There were uneasy glanced throughout the herd. By right, they were all traitors, secretly hating the king and his obsession with the prince- just now, which one of them was discovered? Kajo's eyes widened in horror as he saw who stepped up- Jihad.

"Jihad, my noble and ever-loyal companion, my stout shoulder-friend. He hast told me," the king said, "That our own healer and two warriors, Jaora, Kati and his brother Rashken have been plotting behind my back!"

Ari and Rak moved back gradually, hiding the colt behind them. Jaora seemed afraid, but Kati enraged, and Rashken, an indigo stallion whose coat was just slightly lighter than his brother's, had just come into the vale not long before from his own scouting of the Wingcat mountains. Kajo stood forward, whispering urgently to Ari and Rak, "Keep the child hidden, now... if we let Argos see him now, all is lost!"

Jaros looked upon all the happenings as though they were an entertaining performance. Lea stared sharply at Kajo, but Argos looked simply enraged. "Well, unicorns of the vale, ye know the law...hold, what is it, Ari and Rak, that ye be hiding"

Kajo looked alarmed, Ari and Rak braced themselves. Kati wondered what he should do- then Rashken stepped forward, his eyes flashing angrily. "What law?" he yelled angrily, stomping a cloven hoof in frustration. "What you call the law is tyranny, Argos- you've been consumed by your son!"

Argos' eyes narrowed. "Treason," he said angrily, "Foul treason, to speak of your prince and king that way... not only so... of your saviour! Of your bringer of peace, of your prophesized saviour, Alma's will made flesh!"

"And what if he is not the one?" the indigo stallion said boldly.

A tensed hush fell upon the earlier murmuring herd. Now Lea seemed inflamed with fury, Jaros indifferent, obviously entertained and amused by what he would consider 'puny efforts'. Lea stepped forth. "But Kajo himself, dreamer and healer, has told me of the certainty of my son's blood! That he is indeed the one-"

"Only because you threatened to kill him if he said otherwise," Rashken replied boldly.

"That is enough!" Argos said angrily, rearing and stomping down his two front hooves angrily. "SO serious is your crime that the penalty is death!"

"I did it," Rashken yelled. "I drew my brother, the healer and Jaora into the plan so the blame would not be pinned. I would rather die, the blame justly placed!"

Argos' eyes narrowed. Kati, alarmed, strove to deny his brother, but the healer stopped him with a glance. "So," the king whispered. "I should have known, Rashken. So is your name- Rashken, the wolf... traitorous hound! Come, my companions... kill the traitor!"

Kati yelled again and charged forward, but Kajo stepped infront of him. Jihad, some other stallions and Argos himself galloped towards the indigo stallion, their horns lowered. With skill and strength he met their onslaught- Rashken was not called the greatest of warriors for no reason. But even he could not stand against so many, and Jihad's horn caught him on the shoulder. He neighed in fury and twisted to met the onslaught, leaving his throat exposed, and Argos took the opportunity. The warrior fell, collapsed to the earth, and his lifeless body lay in the settling dust.

"No dance today," Argos said angrily. "No moondance... nothing..." he turned wordlessly. Jaros seemed sort of disappointed at first, but then followed his sire's example, flicking his tail dismissively.

"Brother," Kati cried, running towards Rashken. "Brother, why did you do so? Together we could have fought them off, brother, Rashken, we could have-"

"Halt. Enough grieving, Kati," the healer said quietly, although he himself was deeply saddened. 'Do not give yourself up, or he would have died for nothing. Rashken always loved to see the dawn... come sunrise; we shall sing the ending song, and bury him, lay him to rest facing the east... but he has died for a worthy cause..."

The healer glanced toward Ilkanta. The gray colt's ears pinned backward and he took a wary step back, as though recognizing why. Wordlessly, Kajo left Kati to grieve, guiding the colt gently with his horn toward the king and queen. The other unicorns stood, gazing at the dead unicorn who had given his life for their safety and the well-being of a parentless foal.

_ Great mother-of-all, Alm'harat, Alma, into your keeping be this young colt... _Kajo thought to himself, as the king raised his head from his grazing and noticed, at last, the gray foal. Once again the healer made a silent prayer, knowing all too well the consequence if he spoke so much as one wrong word.

((-replies comments through here- DT: Yay! Postive comments within a day. YOU'VE made me the happiest 12 year old girl in da WORLD. As for your questions, answering the Pan thing would be a plot spoiler, and yes- how can I forget the herd in the Hallow Hills?

P.S- Whoah, DT, even though I've never bothered to do my bio yet, you like the exact same books and everything as me... cool. There should be a fanfiction section for Clement-Davies novels, darnit.)


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